Strategy Block

Problem Statement

A focused problem slide that names the pain, affected audience, and cost of inaction.

problem-statement1 slidebalanced density

Problem

The current path is too slow

Frame the pain in plain language and show what it costs.

Before

Pain

After

Audience

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OPF Config

blocks:problem-statement
Open Presentation Format
{
  "$schema": "https://pptx.dev/schema/opf/v1",
  "version": "1.0",
  "meta": {
    "title": "Problem Statement",
    "subtitle": "A focused problem slide that names the pain, affected audience, and cost of inaction.",
    "purpose": "Establish urgency around a problem before presenting a solution.",
    "narrative": {
      "id": "problem-solution"
    },
    "keyMessages": [
      "The current state is painful.",
      "The affected audience is specific.",
      "Inaction has a cost."
    ],
    "tone": "persuasive",
    "tags": [
      "content-block",
      "problem-statement"
    ]
  },
  "design": {
    "colors": {
      "scheme": "bold-red"
    },
    "fonts": {
      "scheme": "montserrat"
    },
    "background": {
      "type": "solid",
      "color": "#ffffff"
    },
    "layoutPreferences": {
      "density": "balanced",
      "alignment": "left",
      "animations": false,
      "slideNumbers": false
    }
  },
  "slides": [
    {
      "id": "problem-statement",
      "layout": "two-column",
      "section": "Problem Statement",
      "elements": [
        {
          "id": "problem-statement-title",
          "type": "text",
          "slot": "title",
          "content": {
            "text": "The current path is too slow"
          },
          "style": {
            "fontSize": 34,
            "alignment": "left"
          }
        },
        {
          "id": "problem-statement-subtitle",
          "type": "text",
          "slot": "subtitle",
          "content": {
            "text": "A focused statement of pain, audience, and cost."
          },
          "style": {
            "fontSize": 16,
            "lineHeight": 1.3
          }
        },
        {
          "id": "problem-statement-points",
          "type": "text",
          "slot": "body",
          "content": {
            "bullets": [
              "Who feels the pain",
              "What breaks today",
              "What delay costs"
            ]
          },
          "style": {
            "fontSize": 15,
            "lineHeight": 1.25
          }
        }
      ],
      "notes": "A focused problem slide that names the pain, affected audience, and cost of inaction."
    }
  ]
}
Open in OPF Playground

Preview this config live at pptx.dev/playground.

Use Case

Use when a deck needs to create urgency before proposing a solution.

When to Use

Early in sales, product, transformation, and investor narratives.

When to Avoid

Avoid if the audience already accepts the problem and needs solution detail.

Block Structure

two-column

The current path is too slow

A focused statement of pain, audience, and cost.

  • -Who feels the pain
  • -What breaks today
  • -What delay costs

Best Practices

1

Write the problem in the audience's words.

2

Quantify the consequence where possible.

3

Do not introduce the solution too early.

Playground deep link: config=blocks:problem-statement